Independents’ expansions welcomed for showing how small businesses can out-serve the giants

Despite a still-weak economy, two independent Christian retailers have opened second locations in order to fill a void and offer “a ministry” to their communities. CBA’s new head has praised the store expansions as an example of how well-run small businesses can out-serve bigger competitors.

Fran Cantwell opened His Word Christian Bookstore in Newark, Ohio, in February. Cantwell— who also owns and operates a store with the same name located approximately 30 miles away in Johnstown, Ohio, where she lives—said she felt compelled to open the 900-square-foot store, sandwiched between a pizza shop and a women’s workout facility in a small strip mall.

“I opened the store because God led me to do so,” Cantwell told Christian Retailing. “I have seen God’s leading in every decision of the business.”

Mindy Uitermarkt—who opened Stepping Stones Christian Bookstore in Marshalltown, Iowa, in April—said she also felt prompted by God after she was urged by a friend last fall to launch the 1,900-square-foot store.

“Although technically a for-profit business, it has more of a nonprofit mission—which is to help people along their faith walk,” said Uitermarkt, who also owns a store with the same name located approximately 35 miles away in Grinnell, Iowa.

CBA Executive Director Curtis Riskey said Cantwell and Uitermarkt both “understand the role Christian stores play in supporting the church, providing resources to grow individual faith walks and providing a place of community that changes people and changes the culture.”

“It is always a good sign that Christian stores are opening or expanding because it helps bring the good news to more people,” he said. “It’s also a good sign that an established and experienced business expands because it means a call to obedience reinforced with skills for retail excellence.”

Cantwell said there had not been a Christian store in Newark—located 45 minutes from Columbus, Ohio—for 10 years, and the nearest evangelical store is 30 miles away. With the help of her family, including her daughter-in-law, Cantwell said her new location has been well received and churches have been spreading the news about the store.

Besides books, Bibles, DVDs, CDs, performance tracks, the store carries communion supplies and rosaries as well as out-of-print titles and used books. Cantwell’s Johnstown store, which she opened two years ago, is approximately 350 square feet—reduced from 700 square feet to accommodate the new location.

“I see His Word Christian Bookstore as a ministry,” said Cantwell, who has a part-time job besides running her two stores. “We have a prayer list going that people sign up to be prayed for. The success of the store is totally God’s success. When I opened the store I made a commitment to God not to incur debt, so my merchandise is pre-paid.”

Uitermarkt said she stepped out in faith to open her store in Marshalltown, although there had been at least three Christian bookstores in the area that had come and gone over the past 10 years.

“God has provided in so many ways through so many people to make our new store a reality,” said Uitermarkt, who has owned her 1,500-square-foot store in Grinnell since 2002.

Uitermarkt said opening of the second store made some sense because Marshalltown has three times the population base of Grinnell—about 27,000 versus approximately 9,000.

Additionally, the nearest Christian store is 45 minutes away. Uitermarkt’s stores carries books, music, greeting cards, wedding and church supplies and the offer a frequent buyer’s club. The Marshalltown store’s sales have been approximately triple the Grinnell location since she opened the new site.

“By having two stores, there are economies of scale, which will enable me to continue furthering God’s kingdom in this way,” Uitermarkt said. “Everyday I thank Him that He has given me this opportunity to interact with so many people and do something that I’m very passionate about, which is helping people find the right products to assist them and the ones they love grow in their faith—wherever they might be on their spiritual journey.”

Riskey said the expansions by Cantwell and Uitermarkt reveal how retail is changing. “Retailers who wish to expand not only have to be good retailers, but they also must understand their customers and how to serve them,” he said. “Both of these stores seem to be adapting their merchandising especially to local customers’ needs.

“Bargain books, specialized product selection—these are things stores do best and can’t be duplicated by Amazon or Wal-Mart,” Riskey added. “They are making a difference in their communities by being different from all the rest and being comfortable and relational to people.”

Elsewhere, a longtime Christian bookstore in Merced, Calif., has been saved from closure by a couple who owns two evangelical bookstores in Bakersfield, Calif. Christian Connection, owned by Annette and Rick Macias for the past 16 years, was to due to close Christmas Eve because of low sales, theMerced Sun Star reported.

But Bud and Linda Mayhew, who have known the Maciases for about five years, stepped in. The Mayhews offered to let the Maciases still run the store in Merced, while the Mayhews would stock and manage it. The Maciases took the offer, and the bookstore reopened as Hope Christian Bookstore in January.

Growth opportunties championed at The Gathering 2010

Retailers and suppliers were in positive mood when they met to consider key industry trends at The Gathering 2010 in Louisville, Ky., last month.

They saw and heard of new opportunities despite the ongoing challenges of the economy, from digital publishing to a growth category for church-based stores.

E-books and bargain books were spotlighted as areas in which stores should consider investing during lunchtime Food-for-Thought presentations and discussions that were offered in addition to more than a dozen training workshops.

Joe Questel, vice president of business development for Symtio, the digital book distribution program launch in 2008 by Zondervan to give stores a toehold in the digital world, told how it has turned out to have an unexpected bonus―a boost in audiobook sales.

The sale of the in-store cards that give people codes to download content for reading or listening was helping meet the “pent-up demand” for audio editions of books that had previously not taken off in the Christian market the way they had in the general market by reducing inventory costs, he said.

Symtio Marketing Director Jerri Helms reported a lot of subsequent interest at the company’s booth, with retailers “more comfortable” with the idea of embracing e-books and concerned that they do not lose out on digital sales as they had with music, she said.

Jerry Bloom, president of bargain book leader Treasures Media—which recently acquired the discount “speed table” program of SAS & Associates—told during another session how he had developed his wholesale remainder business after finding how cut-price titles had benefited at the retail store he runs in Racine, Wisc.

Another trend that emerged at The Gathering—which drew representatives of church, chain and independent stores—was greater interest in and openness to inspirational gifts at church-based operations.

While church stores some carry ministry-centered items like greeting cards and products that can be given to others for evangelism and encouragement, many have to date been more conservative and focused on books and Bibles.But “they are realizing that book sales are down and people are finding other places to buy them,” said Geni Hulsey, president of the Church Bookstore Network. “They know they have to make that up somewhere and they are looking for high quality gifts that are ministry tools.”

Tim Belanger, a volunteer at the bookstore managed by his wife, Connie, at Faith Lutheran Church in Troy, Mich., said that having been primarily focused on books, it had recently been decided to “open it up to merchandise and apparel. Books are great, but with them you only have a certain segment of the congregation that will come in.”

Annette Atwood, president of Show Offs Arts, noted high interest from church accounts. Gifts “are what is going to keep them afloat, really,” she said. “I had some stores say they weren’t allowed to carry gifts so they placed orders to decorate offices in the church” to show how gift products could offer ministry value.

Many suppliers reported good business at The Gathering. The event was “very good” for Thomas Nelson, said Inside Sales Consultant for Christian Retail Sales Scott Etheridge, who noted that sales had been strong and consistent. There had been a good response to its new Jack Countryman gift book spinner rack to be available from the fall, he said.

“There has been a lot of interest,” Etheridge said. “A lot of stores do well with gift books, but don’t really have a home for them all in one spot. We have found if you can do that and call them out, your sales increase.”

Bob Spooner, marketing director for Robert Spooner Galerie, said that there had been a good response to the lower price points the company has introduced with new lines that aimed to continue its reputation for high-end and quality wall art while dropping prices to offer more value.

Stores seemed to be coming out of the worst effects of the recent, he said. “They are still trying to keep inventories low, but they are starting to buy again. We have had several people say, ‘We are empty, we need product soon.’”

STL Distribution North America President Glenn Bailey said that the company had signed up a handful of new accounts and that “all things considered, it has been definitely worthwhile being here.”

First-time Christian trade event exhibitor Darryl Shellhamer―whose SDS Designs Associates has recently added a faith-based line to its popular car magnet collections―said that though the show was small compared to some he had been to “I got more accomplished here than at some of the megashows I have attended.”

For new publisher Inspired Faith, debuting at The Gathering with interactive gift books containing inspirational movie DVDs, CBA Channel Director Chris Robinette reported a good response and appreciation that the new line was available only to specialty retailers.

Dottie Poythress, manager of The Bookmark at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, Ga., said she had found “some new things I would not have seen if I had not been here” in Louisville. There was “a great spirit, a real sense of enthusiasm and excitement,” at the event, she added.

Other highlights from The Gathering included:

* Author and children’s market expert Mary Manz Simon emphasized how helping parents protect and nurture their children presents an opportunity for Christian stores to set themselves apart from the increasing competition they face.

More than ever, with unwholesome trends in entertainment content for the young, “parents are going to look to you to fulfill your traditional role as gatekeeper to their children,” Simon said in her keynote presentation on trends in the category.

* CBA Chair-elect George Thomsen proposed an industry summit to help build up Christian retail. “I would really love to see us work together,” he said when asked about his hopes for the future, during an informal question-and-answer forum.

“I’d like to see us tear down barriers―whatever barriers there are, let us rip them down because it is not Christlike,” Thomsen said. “And we need to work together; we need to love each other, as brothers and sisters in Christ. We need to operate with integrity; we need to not be mean with each other as we sometimes are. ... I think we need to get together as an industry and talk and perhaps even have an industry summit where we bring publishers together, where we bring associations together ... different entities, people who have a stake in this game.”

* Attendees were given a preview of the Not A Fan revival initiative that is to tour the country later this year, to be backed by a DVD small-group video curriculum and book featuring the message of the church’s teaching minister, Kyle Idleman.

The six-part series created by City on a Hill Productions and to be released in July features Southeast Christian teaching minister Kyle Idleman’s message about the need for Christians to move from being “just a fan, an enthusiastic admirer of Jesus” to becoming a true follower.

Four bookstores and two companies recognized with awards of excellence at The Gathering  2010

Retailer and supplier excellence was recognized at The Gathering with awards to four stores and two companies.

Steve and Janelle Pickering, owners of Parable Lemstone Christian Store in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received Christian Retailing’s Independent Store of the Year Award for “outstanding contributions in the development of Christian retail.”

Similar honors from The Church Bookstore magazine for quality stores went to church-based operations in three categories.

Large store: Rockpile, Rock Ministries, San Diego, Jayson Payne, manager. Mid-sized store: Passages —The Gateway Bookstore, Gateway Church, Southlake, Texas, Bobby Williams, manager. Small store: Next Step Resources, Granger Community Church, Granger, Ind., Susan Chipman, manager.

The Church Bookstore Vendor of the Year award, for “outstanding service in the development of Christian retail in the local church,” went to Thomas Nelson. Zondervan’s Larry Avery, senior account executive, was named Salesman of the Year.

The Gathering also saw the announcement of the winners of Christian Retailing’s Retailers Choice Awards 2010, with 33 trophies presented in categories from Bibles and backlist to best marketing campaign. Full details, page 48.

Publishing giant distributes Women of Faith brand ‘to fill the void of a diminishing industry’

Hoping to fill a void, the world’s largest Christian book publisher has ventured into the music business.

The May 25 releases Women of Faith Worship, Hope and Grace and Sheila Walsh’s I Hear Angels marked the first time Thomas Nelson distributed music from its conference brand. Women of Faith Worship features 10 tracks from the WoF worship team, while Hope and Grace is a compilation disc of singles from artists involved in the conferences, including Mandisa, Steven Curtis Chapman and Natalie Grant. The CDs retail for $13.99 each.

The company purchased WoF in 2000, and has reported that the events—which also include Revolve teen conferences—comprise 20% of its annual operating budget.

Tom Knight, Nelson’s senior vice president of Christian retail sales and ministry development group, credited the strength of a “robust” sales team—with backgrounds in publishing, retail and music—in making the decision to distribute music.

“We understand Christian retail and … are well-qualified to help fill the void left by a diminishing music industry, especially as it relates to sales to Christian retail and independent bookstores,” he said.

Before the new recording—for which Nelson was working towards an iTunes agreement—WoF projects were distributed by Integrity Music and more recently by Word Distribution. The brand’s most recent recording—A Grand New Day, distributed by Word—was nominated for two Dove Awards this year.

Vance Lawson, chief service officer for Nelson, said the new venture would help the company keep better control of its WoF music brand.

“In addition to distribution, these companies also owned and controlled the records released during the distribution agreements,” he told Christian Retailing. “And they served us well. But over the last year, the Women of Faith team would like to begin creating intellectual properties that they could own and control.”

Gospel Music Association Chairman and Daywind Music Group President Ed Leonard applauded Nelson’s move.

“It’s great whenever a big company gets involved in the music business,” said Leonard, a CBA board member. “They’ll add a lot to the music enviornment.”

The music distribution extends beyond WoF as well. Knight said the publisher is “open to discussion with labels as to sales, retail marketing and distribution” of Nelson products.

Reading device will offer Christian books to ‘an even broader audience’

Thomas Nelson and Zondervan were among the first publishers to release titles for Apple’s new iPad digital-media device. The market is strong, with more than 300,000 iPads sold April 3—the launch day for the device—and more than 250,000 e-books downloaded.

More than 1,200 Nelson titles, including Max Lucado’s Fearless and Dave Ramsey’s The Total Money Makeover, were made available for download for the launch on Apple’s digital book store—iBooks. At press time, iBooks had approximately 60,000 titles from general market and Christian publishers.

“We are extremely pleased that Thomas Nelson has the largest collection of inspirational titles available on such a revolutionary reading device,” Nelson CEO Michael Hyatt said.

More than 1,000 Zondervan titles were made available for download on iBooks. The Grand Rapids, Mich., publisher plans to release all of its future e-books in an iPad version and was working to release more than 150 additional books in the next three months, company officials said.

“As a division of HarperCollins, we are fortunate to play a major part in the iPad launch,” said Steve Sammons, Zondervan’s executive vice president of consumer engagement. “We are excited that … Zondervan’s titles will be available to an even broader audience.”

Among the Zondervan books offered were three translations of the Bible, The Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel and Take Three by Karen Kingsbury as well as best-sellers, including The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren and The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel.

To celebrate the iPad launch, Zondervan launched a social-media campaign through Twitter and Facebook, giving away 50 $10 iTunes gift cards for the purchase of iBooks.

Hachette Book Group USA offered 4,000 titles on iPad, including 298 FaithWords and 97 Center Street books, company officials said. Meanwhile, Crossway made its ESV Bible available as a free application for iPad. Additionally, more than 600 Crossway titles were offered on iPad via the iPad Kindle application, with 50 of those accessible through iBooks.

Elsewhere, titles published by Random House—the parent company of WaterBrook Press and Multnomah Books—were unavailable for iPad’s launch because the world’s largest consumer trade publisher resisted the pricing model that Apple had offered publishers.

Although publishers make less money per unit sale under Apple’s “agency” pricing model, they fear universal $9.99 e-book best-sellers create the impression all new books are worth only $10, The Wall Street Journal observed.

Digital books are the fastest growing part of the book business. E-book sales had sales of $31.9 million in January—reflecting an increase of 261.2% for the month and the same percentage increase compared to January 2009, according to the Association of American Publishers.

Last year, Zondervan, Baker Publishing Group and Tyndale House Publishers were among those offering Bible translations for the mobile reading device.

Recently, Bethany House Publishers and Zondervan began offering free versions of some its best-selling titles from authors such as Beverly Lewis, Rob Bell, Brandilyn Collins, Tracie Peterson and Terri Blackstock—which topped Amazon’s Kindle best-sellers lists.

Strang Book Group 22%
Destiny Image Publishers 16%
Whitaker House 16%
Harrison House Publishers 10%
FaithWords 9%
Simon & Schuster 8%
Baker Publishing Group 5%
Faith Library Publications 3%
Thomas Nelson 2%
Gospel Light Publications 2%

Top 10 selling Pentecostal and charismatic authors, 2009

Joyce Meyer
Joel Osteen
Smith Wigglesworth
Bill Wiese
Myles Munroe
John Hagee
Germaine Copeland
Kenneth E. Hagin
Mary K. Baxter
Jentezen Franklin
Bill Johnson

Both lists ased on ECPA PubTrack Christian data for 2009.

Blockbuster film discounted exclusively to large chain was rejected by ‘key Christian retailers’

Some leading independent Christian retailers have been angered by their exclusion from a distribution agreement for the DVD release of the Oscar-winning The Blind Side.

However, the blockbuster inspirational film was made available to “key Christian retailers,” but rejected due to some of its content, according to the movie’s main distributor in the Christian channel.

Word Distribution representatives spoke about the offer as they responded to criticism for distributing the movie to Christian retail only through Family Christian Stores (FCS)—and not via other chains or independent Christian bookstores.

Word Distribution officials told Christian Retailing that due to company policy, they could not speak on specific business agreements—although they said that The Blind Side DVD was offered to “key Christian retailers,” but the movie was turned down due to its rating and content.

Based on the true story of an unabashedly Christian, white family’s adoption of a homeless African-American teen who becomes a football star, The Blind Side—starring Sandra Bullock, who won the Best Actress Oscar for the film in March—is rated PG-13 for one scene involving brief violence, drug and sexual references as well as language.

FCS offered a $19.97 pre-buy special for the March 23 DVD release of The Blind Side, with the chain announcing that it would give a portion of proceeds from sales to provide tuition assistance for Christian education to foster children. The video retails for $28.99. The Blind Side DVD is available to retailers through Spring Arbor Distributors, but stores have to pay more for it versus purchasing it directly from Word. FCS officials declined to comment.

Gerald Hicks, co-owner of Perfect Peace Christian Lifestyle Stores in Wichita, Kan., said he was “outraged” by the distribution agreement and sought to alert other retailers about the move. Hicks’ store is part of the Covenant Group, which provides marketing and support services to stores with annual income of more than $3 million.

Hicks told Christian Retailing that Word did not contact the Covenant Group—“of which many key retailers are a part”—about The Blind Side DVD. “I was not one of those ‘key’ retailers,” he said. “My understanding was that they called a few.”

Hicks added that when he saw the movie in theaters, he “did not walk out thinking, ‘we could never sell this DVD due to the content and language.’ ”

“In fact, quite the opposite, the strong Christian themes and content made me think it would be well-received among my customers,” he said. “In my market, I have a lot of crossover customers that will shop with us as well as Family, but Word has tried to justify their actions, essentially, by saying: ‘Family’s customer base would accept the movie, but my customer base would reject it.’ ”

Chuck Wallington, owner of Christian Supply in Spartanburg, S.C., and founder of the Covenant Group, told Christian Retailing that he had “two major concerns” about Word’s distribution agreement with FCS.

“It sets a dangerous precedent for the overall health of our industry,” he said. “As far as I can remember, this has never happened before, and I don’t believe it is healthy for an industry that is supposed to share a common goal of advancing the kingdom through what we do.

“Secondly, it gives one retailer a distinct advantage over all others in the channel,” Wallington added. “The discount available to the rest of us through distributors is a good 12-14% lower than what we would normally purchase it for through Word.”

Wallington said it made sense that Word polled some retailers. “But I do not understand why, once the decision was made to carry it for distribution, they did not offer to all retailers in the channel,” he said. “That would have been much more equitable.”

Wallington, who bought a copy of The Blind Side DVD for himself, added that Christian Supply would carry the video. “We would not promote it, but we have had customers asking, so we are stocking it,” he said. “It is a strong, family-oriented story about a family of faith who are portrayed in a positive light—a welcome change from Hollywood’s norm. If a customer asks about it, we (would) warn them about the language/content that they might find offensive.”

CBA Executive Director Curtis Riskey told Christian Retailing that Word declined to comment to the retailers’ trade association about the distribution agreement.

“I understand that Family Christian Stores is a large chain within our Christian retail industry, and I do understand that exclusives are how we do retail today,” he said. “However, Family Christian Stores don’t represent the entire industry.

“While I respect Word Distribution’s decision, and it is certainly their decision to make, I do not completely agree with it,” Riskey added. “I think that Word Distribution has been shortsighted in their distribution decision, and believe that they are leaving sales and money on the table. … We can accomplish more in sales and ministry when we all work together—chains, independents, franchises and church stores.”

Family Christian Stores asks consumers about their attitudes towards ‘Plus 8’ mom Kate Gosselin

The leading Christian retail chain has canvassed shoppers to decide whether to promote TV reality star Kate Gosselin’s book I Just Want You to Know, when it comes out this month. Family Christian Stores (FCS) asked consumers their opinions about the Zondervan title by the co-author of Multiple Blessings—the 2008 release written with her former huisband and Beth Carson that has sold more than 500,000 copies. Last year the Gosselins, stars of the TV reality series Jon & Kate Plus 8 went through a highly publicized divorce.

In the wake of that and the cancellation of the show, FCS surveyed shoppers about the new book, which features excerpts, prayers and memories from Kate Gosselin’s journal. The chain sent out an e-mail inviting consumers to complete an online survey that included the book’s cover—which features the author sitting in a chair and the subtitle, Letters to My Kids on Love, Faith and Family—and asking their impression of the book’s contents and theme.

Among the response choices were whether the book seemed to be a “mother writing inspirational letters to her children” or a “tell-all book revealing her side of the story of the past year.” Recipients of the communication were also asked to indicate whether they agreed or not that “Christian book stores should not promote any books by Kate Gosselin.”

Those who identified themselves as not being interested in the book were asked to say whether that was because the topic did not interest them, they were not familiar with the author or whether they found her “too controversial” or “do not agree with the author’s moral philosophy.”

The chain declined to comment on the survey, though the book was not available at its Web site by late March, when it could be ordered online at the Parable Group site.

When asked whether LifeWay Christian Stores would be carrying the title, the chain said that its “product strategy” was proprietary information. At Mardel Christian & Education, President Jason Green said that that his chain would not be laying in the title because it was not felt that demand would warrant placement, but would special-order it.

Zondervan Director of Public Relations Karen Campbell told Christian Retailing that response from the trade to the new title—which has a 400,000-copy first printing—had been positive, and stores “generally are excited about the book.”

She added: “We realize the recent events in Kate’s life have been very public and many sources—particularly the tabloids—have exploited her popularity with misinformation. Some people may not agree with our decision to publish this book, but we support Kate as she moves forward into a new chapter in her life.

“It is clear that her faith has been an integral part of her life and the lives of her children during the past year, and we are honored to give her the opportunity to share her heart.”

Gosselin’s new book was described by her publisher as “offering an intimate look at the heart of a mother during the three years her family transitioned from obscurity into the national spotlight.”

Most recently seen on TV in ABC’s Dancing With the Stars, Gosselin said in a statement: “Each day the thought crosses my mind that when they get older, my kids are going to look back and think about how they were raised. I know they will have a lot of questions about things that may not make sense because they were raised so unconventionally.”

National Religious Broadcasters convention provides ‘beneficial relationship for all involved’

With the theme “Extend Your Reach Through Media,” the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) annual convention featured a strong publishing emphasis.

During the Feb. 27-March 2 event in Nashville, author and radio commentator Chuck Colson— whose books include The Faith and Loving God (both Zondervan) as well as How Now Shall We Live? and Lies That Go Unchallenged in Popular Culture (both Tyndale House Publishers)—was honored with a Hall of Fame Award.

Mosab Hassan Yousef, a son of one of the founders of the terrorist group Hamas, spoke during the gathering of Christian broadcasting professionals to promote his book, Son of Hamas (Tyndale House Publishers), which was released around the time of the convention.

Yousef had been spotlighted by mainstream media for his memoir—which details a six-year-long conversion process that originated with a Bible study in Jerusalem and resulted in his departure from the Palestinian organization.

Joel C. Rosenberg—best-selling author of Tyndale’s Bible prophecy-based books, including Epicenter—was featured during the international luncheon, introducing Yousef as a “brother in Christ.”

Meanwhile, Dave Ramsey, author of the New York Times best-seller The Total Money Makeover (Thomas Nelson), led a “Social Marketing Strategy” workshop, while Phil Cooke—author of The Last TV Evangelist (Conversant Media Group) and Branding Faith (Regal Books)—was one of the featured speakers at the convention.

Among the dozen publishers that exhibited at the event were Baker Publishing Group (BPG), Harvest House Publishers, Strang Communications, Tyndale House, WestBow Press (Thomas Nelson’s self-publishing division), Rose Publishing, Xulon Press and Advantage Books.

Despite the continuing tough economy, Mavis Sanders—corporate publicist for Tyndale House—told Christian Retailing that the publisher’s presence at NRB was similar to previous years.

“We presented current and upcoming authors, products for interviews and programming ideas, and met with agencies and vendors,” she said. “Our presence at NRB also reinforced our association with many outstanding Tyndale authors who have broadcast ministries.”

Harvest House Broadcast Publicist Christianne Debysingh said the publisher used a smaller booth.

“Our primary purpose is to network, and having a big booth does not enhance that function,” she told Christian Retailing. “Also, given the state of the economy, we, like so many others, looked for ways to save on expenses. … We did not cut back this year (on staff) as we had already done that last year. Last year we only had four attend, which was down by one. We kept that same number of four this year.”

Debysingh added that Harvest House does not traditionally bring authors to NRB.

“The highlight for us is always people—not only connecting with people we know, but building new relationships,” she said. “It also allows us to meet and develop new contacts.”

BPG Manager of Special Markets Rod Jantzen told Christian Retailing that the publisher “scaled back somewhat this year” at NRB. “With many ministries a bit more conservative in their approach right now due to the economic conditions, it made sense for us to take a more conservative approach as well,” he said. “A gathering like NRB is always a great way to connect with ministries and media outlets who are attending. Relationships are really at the heart of it all.”

NRB Vice President of Operations David Keith added: “NRB member broadcasters have always had a good working relationship with both the authors and publishers of books over the years. It has been a beneficial relationship for all involved. Recent (economy-related) challenges only mean we need to invest additional energy in finding ways that make sense for all those involved.”

Leading inspirational video game companies say they ‘value the support’ of bookstores, who understand ‘message and value of games’

Industry observers are expressing hope for the future of inspirational video games in light of the merger of two of the nation’s largest Christian video game companies. They say that the support from Christian retailers “is critical to the success of Christian gaming.”

Inspired Media Entertainment, the inspirational video game company that makes games based on the “Left Behind” book series, announced in February that it would merge with Digital Praise, the maker of Guitar Praise—a Christian game similar to the popular Guitar Hero.

Troy Lyndon, chairman and CEO of Inspired Media Entertainment—known as Left Behind Games (LBG) to the mainstream market—said the merger had “four key ingredients that will take our company to the next level.”

“Those keys are strong brands and products, multi-channeled distribution, a solid management team and a history of generating millions of dollars in the emerging Christian video game market—a feat no company has matched,” he said.

Digital Praise President and CEO Tom Bean, now president of LBG, added: “This merger gives us access to capital that we anticipate will enable us to produce far more new innovative games than we could hope to develop as a privately held company.”

Michael Patcher, research analyst at financial services and investment firm Wedbush Securities, said the Christian video game market is “a significant market currently underserved by traditional publishers.”

Sales of computer games—the primary platform of Christian games—in the U.S. were $538 million in 2009, while total video game and PC sales game software were $20.2 billion last year, according to market researcher The NPD Group (National Purchase Diary).

“This merger will allow (Inspired Media) to be well-positioned to serve the millions of people of faith that enjoy Christian entertainment,” Patcher said.

Tim Emmerich, director of conferences for the Christian Games Developer Conference/Association of Christian Entertainment, told Christian Retailing that both companies have previously participated in the group’s conference—slated this year for July 15-17 at Concordia University in Portland, Ore.

“Digital Praise is intimately involved in the association,” said Emmerich, who owns GraceWorks Interactive, which develops and distributes games such as The Interactive Parables and Interactive Bible: James. “We are definitely praying that God will bless the merger and bless the people who experience (Christian) games. … I encourage players to reach out to ... their local Christian bookstore as their source for Christian games.”

Ralph Bagley, spokesperson for the nonprofit Association for Family Interactive Media, told Christian Retailing that “the marketplace has always been ready for more high-quality Christian games.”

“The problem is that in order to create a high-quality Christian game that is available on several platforms, it takes a budget of roughly $10 million-$15 million dollars to develop it,” said Bagley, whose N’Lightning Software company produced games such as Catechumen and Ominous Horizons, which are available in Christian bookstores. “On top of that, you need millions more for marketing. The question is when can the Christian game developer community create a game that transcends a small niche market and goes mainstream?”

Based in Murrieta, Calif., Inspired Media publishes six games, including Charlie Church Mouse, Keys of the Kingdom and Left Behind: Tribulation Forces, the sequel to Left Behind: Eternal Forces—regarded as the most widely distributed Christian PC game.

Besides Guitar Praise, Newark, Calif.-based Digital Praise—now a subsidiary of Inspired Media—publishes several games, including Adventures in Odyssey, Dance Praise, Light Rangers, Hermie & Friends, aMazing Bible and two new iPhone game applications. Longtime Christian metal band Stryper recently signed a licensing agreement for the Guitar Praise Stryper Expansion Pack, which was to be released by Digital Praise in stores before Easter.

Bagley said there are currently close to 100 independent Christian game developers worldwide. “The problem is that very few of them have the resources to flourish under these very tough market conditions,” he said. “The support from the Christian retailers is critical to the success of Christian gaming, but the developers must create great games that are fun to play in order for the equation to really work.”

Bean agreed. “The Christian retail stores are a critical channel for the success of the Christian video game industry,” he told Christian Retailing. “We value the support of the large chains as well as all the independent stores that promote and sell our product line. The Christian retail channel provides our customers with knowledgeable staff that understand the Christian message and value of our games.”

Inspired Media recently reported that consumers have shown a desire “to purchase good, wholesome games.” Three PC games—including Charlie Church Mouse, retailing between $19.96 and $29.96—by the company formerly known as Left Behind Games were offered last fall in approximately 100 Wal-Mart stores in Dallas and Houston as well as in other Texas markets.

Left Behind: Tribulation Forces and Charlie Church Mouse were “completely sold out” in those stores several days before Christmas, Lyndon said. “Further, the original, 3-year-old Left Behind: Eternal Forces continued to show life as it was distributed in nearly every Target store in America, demonstrating that Christian games have longer lives,” he added.

Lyndon said that the retail test was “significantly successful enough” to attract interest from the country’s largest video-game representative firm, SMP Communications—resulting in an agreement to distribute its products into mainstream retail outlets throughout this year.

“Major Christian retailers appear to be bouncing back from the recession and have begun to place orders,” he said. “Now that the marketplace appears to be ready for more Christian games, our new focus on the Nintendo Wii and XBox 360 for future titles should begin our company’s transformation from a PC game publisher to an all-platform video game producer. … Christian games will become a significant market. The question isn’t ‘if,’ it’s just a matter of ‘when.’ ”